Densities for linear tape storage systems are at a point where precision lateral positioning of the tape heads perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of motion of the tape is a requirement. Timing-based servo (TBS) is a technology developed in the mid-1990s for linear tape drives to specifically address this issue. In TBS systems, recorded servo patterns consist of transitions with two different azimuthal slopes, and head lateral-position relative to the servo track is derived from the relative timing of pulses generated by a narrow servo tracking head reading the pattern.
A popular tape drive technology that has adopted the TBS standard is Linear Tape Open (LTO). Linear Tape Open and LTO are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company, International Business Machines Corporation, and Quantum Corporation. In LTO, the tape width is divided into four data bands sandwiched between five narrow servo bands or tracks. Each servo band has a TBS pattern that is written to the servo band during the tape manufacturing process. The tape head assembly straddles two adjacent servo bands, with two or more servo read heads and 8 or 16 data read/write heads. Each data head moves up and down within its own data sub-band the same width as the servo band.
As the servo track deviates from the ideal centerline positioning relative to the servo tracking head, the servo control will activate and move the servo tracking head to follow the servo track. The actuator that enables precise positioning of the read head, utilizing the servo system, can involve an arrangement in which the head actuator assembly is suspended using a spring system that possesses mass and stiffness. Such an actuator suspension and servo system has resonant frequencies with the first natural resonance mode typically having a frequency below the closed loop bandwidth. In other arrangements, resonance modes may occur in various shafts, cantilevered arms, and other moving and fixed parts of the actuator assembly. Thus, another issue involving tape heads is effective damping of the tape head actuator. A factor in determining such effective damping is the velocity of the tape head actuator in the lateral direction.